The present invention relates generally to elevators, and more particularly, is directed to a button/switch arrangement for an elevator control.
Otis Elevator Co. is a well known manufacturer of elevators. One of its more popular elevators has been sold as Model No. 401 under the trademark “ELEVONICS” for use in multi-story buildings. In this elevator, there is a front panel with buttons that the user presses in order to select a desired floor to which the elevator is to be moved. The buttons are fixed to nine-button boards which are mounted to a car operating panel known as a COP panel. Thus, if there are fifty-four floors in the building, there would be six nine-button boards, with the external facing buttons numbered one through fifty-four.
Nine-button flat ribbon interface cables connect each button to a COP interface board (Otis Part No. ABA26800ACA001) having pin connectors thereon through which the COP interface board is directly mounted to a COP II board (Otis Part No. AAA26800ACB001). The COP interface board has at least one 40-pin connector for receiving the ends of the flat ribbon interface cables. The COP II board interfaces with the motor control for the elevator in order to control movement of the elevator. Thus, when a person presses a button, a momentary contact switch is closed to supply a voltage signal through the COP interface board to the COP II board which latches onto the signal. When the button is released, the momentary contact switch is opened and the signal supply to the COP interface board and the COP II board is terminated. However, since the COP II board latches onto the signal, the command for the particular floor still remains.
In many instances, it is desirable to change the external look of the elevator buttons, for example, to provide a more regal look or the like. However, this is not practical with the Model 401 elevator without changing the entire operating system and all boards and panels, at an extensive cost. In other words, it is not possible to merely change the front panel, buttons and nine-button boards.